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The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter played host for GRAMMYs On The Road at Lollapalooza on Aug. 3–5 in Grant Park in Chicago. The Chapter conducted exclusive backstage interviews with artists performing at the festival, including indie pop group Oberhofer, DJ collective Orchard Lounge and indie electro/pop group Miike Snow.

Oberhofer discussed studying music at New York University, utilizing social media and creative inspirations, among other topics.

"Studying music theory and composition in college affects the arrangements a lot," said frontman Brad Oberhofer. "It probably affects my melodic approach, but I think I've always inherently had a melodic approach that borrows from classical music."

Oberhofer was founded in 2008 by musician Brad Oberhofer after he moved from Tacoma, Wash., to study music composition at New York University. In 2010 he self-released the lo-fi synth pop single "o0o0o0o0o," which led to spots on tour with Sleigh Bells, Neon Indian, Twin Sister, and Bear In Heaven. Oberhofer teamed with five-time GRAMMY-winning producer Steve Lillywhite to record his debut album, Time Capsules II, which was released in March.

Orchard Lounge discussed musical inspirations growing up, how they met and the influence of house music, among other topics.

"We met on Orchard Street in Lincoln Park and we just had chemistry from the get-go," said Bethany Briscoe Lokken. "We thought [house music] was our secret, so we would go see DJs … every single night of the week. … We would be [in] the front row of their shows just learning, loving and dancing."

Orchard Lounge was formed in Chicago in 2000 and features DJs Spencer Lokken, Bethany Briscoe Lokken and Ben Silver. Known for their heavy touring schedule, Orchard Lounge have performed alongside DJs including DJ Krush, the Disco Biscuits, the Meters, the New Deal, Jamie Jones, and the Magician, among others, and have performed at venues including Red Rocks in Morrison, Colo., and New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.

"He has a real good ability of zooming out and hearing the whole picture of a song," says Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt regarding collaborating with Ronson. "He doesn't try to over-fix things or over-manipulate things in the studio. … It allows magical things to happen inside of a song."

Formed in 2007, Miike Snow is comprised of writers/producers Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg and Andrew Wyatt. The trio released their debut single, "Animal," in 2009, followed by a self-titled debut album. In 2012 the trio formed the indie label Ingrid with Lykke Li, Dungen and Peter Bjorn And John and in March released their sophomore album, Happy To You. Karlsson and Winnberg also work as the production duo Bloodshy & Avant and in 2004 earned a GRAMMY for Best Dance Recording for producing Spears' "Toxic."

(GRAMMYs On The Road at Lollapalooza: Interviews and news contributions by Ramon Alvarez-Smikle, Christina Castillo, Max O'Kane, and Emily Ornberg.)

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